la flâneuse

a new leaf

2012-01-17T17:33:00.000-08:00

peering out into a new year. im not one for resolutions, but heres to a year of good friends, good health, adventures, and, of course, creative inspiration.

walk off the earth

2012-01-17T17:20:00.000-08:00

nothing can be created without inspiration. here is the most inspiring thing i've seen recently. beautiful.

2011-12-05T06:27:00.001-08:00

my blog is not dead, just aging! trying my hand at tumblr just for a change x

http://andlastly.tumblr.com/

in my fashion thought bubble..

2011-11-13T22:04:00.001-08:00

this keeps popping up. it has an impractical charm that has me enamoured. stay tuned.

s'émerveiller.. sans toucher?

2011-11-09T20:45:00.000-08:00

yesss love france

if one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities

2011-11-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: 'im with you kid. lets go.'
(maya angelou) image: leisure or pleasure

keeping it real

2011-11-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

i disappeared! but with good reason, i assure you. back in the swing now, with just some photographs, scarves, and new experiences as my evidence of the last three weeks.. some of which ive decided to share here. nice to be back xx

traversing the capital from one end to the other

2011-09-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

"both flâneurs and dedicated night owls, they knew nocturnal paris wonderfully well; going to bed very late, hardly ever before dawn, they spent their nights roaming the city, traversing the capital from one end to the other, in all directions, from batignolles to montparnasse, villette to neuilly. but it was montmartre they were crazy about, montmartre they... loved best, like a little homeland, like a large dwelling where one feels at home"

victor joze, “la ménagerie sociale, l’homme à femmes” (1890)

the still in the storm

2011-09-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

sometimes you just have to be. rushing in this outfit wont do.

balzac on elegance

2011-09-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

differences have vanished in our society: all that remain are nuances. consequently, good breeding, elegant manners, the je ne sais quoi, the fruits of a complete education - these form the only barrier separating the man of leisure from the busy man. if privilege exists, it stems from moral superiority. hence the high price that the majority places on education, on the purity of language, on the grace of deportment, on the relatively easy manner in which an outfit is worn, on the careful choice of living quarters: in short, on the perfection of everything proceeding from the person. - honoré de balzac, treatise on elegant living, 1830.
***
my photograph of shakespeare&co

familiar feelings

2011-09-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

"and lastly from that period i remember riding in a taxi one afternoon between very tall buildings under a mauve and rosy sky; i began to bawl because i had everything i wanted and knew i would never be so happy again"

- scott fitzgerald. thank you veronicahhh.

eau de lierre

2011-09-02T13:08:00.001-07:00

my search for a new fragrance has concluded. overwhelmed by the number of perfumes at holts and my fear of settling for mass marketed scent, i made my way to noor in yorkville on the advice of a friend. while i knew what i wanted, i struggled slightly in my attempt to describe it. the best i could do was to say that i liked the idea of the mixture of forest scents, or a field of wild flowers. eau de lierre by diptyque has keynotes of cyclamen, ivy leaves, musk, and rosewood and was exactly what i was looking for.

manet for lovers, monet for others

2011-08-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

this is what i will be doing come october. exactly this.

the truth is rarely pure and never simple...

2011-08-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility! -o.w.

treatise on elegant living

2011-08-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

about a century ago, dead fleurette tagged me in a post about what we carry in our bags. i took this photo in the winter for my response and realized i never posted it! so heres my outdated post.

mini moleskin and my uvic pen, savon de marseille hand creme, ipod, pur peppermint gum, ysl envelope wallet, chelsea girl lipstick by nars, livre du moment (at that time ionesco, until this week steinbeck, at present balzac.. treatise on elegant living), and of course the object of an ultimate love-hate relationship, my phone. yes, my background is a celtics/raptors game. defying categorization never hurt anyone.

well youve got your diamonds and youve got your pretty clothes

2011-08-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

a while back i had picked up a postcard from a commercial gallery that had a photograph by joshua jensen-nagle on it. so when i read that beau-xi photo on dundas was showing his photographs i had to go. his works are fairly large and mounted on plexiglass, which is a fresh contrast to the dreamy treatment of european scenery. title is from the rolling stones play with fire.

comme les hommes

2011-08-03T18:20:00.001-07:00

my inspiration for what to wear to a non-interview-but-still-important meeting with an intelligent and successful woman. sharp yet effortless, it is not overly 'fashion' but is relevant and quietly memorable. i thought so at least!

if you are not too long, i will wait here for you all my life

2011-08-03T18:19:00.000-07:00

dear fate love moi. this quote from the picture of dorian gray is for those creative people who are waiting on the sidelines for their career break. if you keep trying, theres no chance it will never happen.

he painted me when i was young

2011-07-25T21:08:00.000-07:00

couldnt say no to these leather woven prada flats. im saving my chanel purchase until im in paris again (trying for this fall!).

these flats have the same general colouring that i so admire with the chanels, but i really liked the straw-like look of them for summer. with denim and a white shirt it reminds me of a take on jane birkin's basket bags.

***

he painted me when i was young because he was in love with me, but now that he has loved me he doesnt paint me anymore - jane birkin

anonymous untitled ongoing

2011-07-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

this is the didactic for flanerie, non? the art of everyday life and the moments that make it up.

heaven and earth

2011-07-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

who is to say what art is? it is an idea expressed creatively and symbolically.

where i come from, we have embraced everything from paint to ceramics to human movement as artistic media.. and yet we cant seem to embrace the world of fabrics in the same way we accept paints types. i have to say, this is something that consistently disappoints me.

i have a lot of theories as to why this is, but i dont want to go in that direction with this post. rather, i would simply like to praise the cities that show the art of fashion alongside traditional art, for fashion is the art that we can utilize in our everyday lives, and this bridge is so vital if we are to move forward.* even in the most uninspiring surroundings, a creative scarf or artisan perfume can give you a sense of individuality.

***

*i think of fashion as the link between art and life. sometimes - as much as i loooove art - it can seem removed from reality, but reality is just no fun without art. how convenient a bridge, these neglected fabrics are.

c'est bien mignon tout ça

2011-07-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

i, like every other blogger, am posting celine's resort collection. because how could i not. the way phoebe plays with soft and sharp, colour and bw, intellectual and effortless, is so relevant.

title is the title of pierrick sorin's 1993 short film

.is this a painting.?

2011-07-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

i've had a period of drawing on canvas in black - with some of my earlier images coming through - think the non objectivists will find them disturbing - and the kids who think it simple to splash a pollock out

go see abstract expressionist new york at the AGO. simple, poignant, and educational. just how i like it.

our part of paris

2011-06-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

this is one of my favorite pictures of my time in paris. it was impossible for us to pass by artisan parfumeur and not sample the fragrances on their tables outside. kind of in the mood for that kind of multisensory flânerie right now.

title is from a moveable feast. but for a long time it was enough just to be back in our part of paris and away from the track and to bet on your own life and work, and on the painters that you knew and not try to make your living gambling and call it by some other name

carry a notebook everywhere

2011-06-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

just need to remind yourself sometimes. thanks for this, vic!

what i see / what i feel

2011-06-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

i need new sunglasses, these are what i keep dreaming about yet they are so very unavailable. any other suggestions?

reference: ernest hemingway, my aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.

ephemera in living space

2011-06-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

i love these photographs from miss little lime. partially because it is familiar: i, too am drawn to stripes, sketches, and diptyque candles. but also i like how the simple charms of ephemera in our living spaces can add such quiet dimension.

the enrichment of leisure

2011-06-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

alright, let's make an agreement. a) we'll make an early start tomorrow morning and try to enjoy each other's company in this beautiful place; b) we'll stop feeling sorry for ourselves, it's not very attractive; c) we'll make our plans for the future.

-the darjeeling limited

the perfect point

2011-06-05T20:58:00.000-07:00

for the last couple of years i have been looking for a shoe with a perfect triangle-esque pointed toe to wear with loose, pleated pants (ideally through the tuileries, as seen above). the zara ones below have filled this void well. i find the contrast of menswear pants and very dainy yet sharp shoes so sophisticated, no?

l'extase de la vie

2011-06-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

..this just brings me joy on many levels..

and reminds me of baudelaire, who i have quoted many times before. tout enfant, j'ai senti dans mon cœur deux sentiments contradictoires : l' horreur de la vie et l'extase de la vie

le flâneur rêve qu'il flâne

2011-06-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

say bonjour to my new rag&bone royston wedges. the perfect addition to a summer shoe collection. title is a quote from paul smith that i used to be amused by. the art historian not the designer!

yes please

2011-06-02T08:43:00.000-07:00

thankfully our summer has arrived and i can transfer my literary life outdoors.

canvases, walls, and the worlds between them

2011-05-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

so it seems that having an absolute dolt as your mayor isnt all bad. because when his biggest issue is to 'clean up' grafitti in toronto, actual contributing human beings like banksy decide its necessary to pay the city a visit to prevent it from going into complete cultural irrelevance. strong words? hmmm.. i will cease now lest i go into a political rant.

(also please excuse my recent absence, i was sunning myself in beautiful barbados <3)

sur la plage

2011-05-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

vogue paris, avril 2011.

this is what i had in mind when i was thinking about my jewelery previously mentioned. i will be on a beach in approx 2 days and plan on putting them to good use.

i havent been everywhere, but its on my list

2011-05-11T20:34:00.000-07:00

ive been on a hunt for knotted, beaded, friendship-bracelet inspired jewellery. mostly bracelets that i can load up together.

not normally my style, but i like that they seem like there is a story behind every piece, a friend made it, you got it at a flea market in a far off land, etc.

i actually found a few today. spent about half an hour playing around with the different styles and colours until i had a good bundle. not exactly my romantic story of finding these pieces as i stumble through life, but im very happy with them.

title by susan sontag

the absense of old friends one can endure with equanimity.

2011-05-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

it is always painful to part from people whom one has known for a very brief space of time. the absense of old friends one can endure with equanimity. but even a momentary separation from anyone to whom one has just been introduced is almost unbearable -oscar wilde

bonne fête de mères

2011-05-08T08:45:00.001-07:00

la mode de l'ouest

2011-05-04T17:13:00.000-07:00

serina, i stole another photograph. just because i miss vancouver, and your photographs capture the feel of the city well. i also miss you and michelle (in the pink skirt) and your inspiring styles.

*i dont know tiffany, but her look is great as well!

summer, where are you

2011-05-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

every night after dinner we would buy gelato and window shop on boulevard de la croisette. one night we went to dinner at a restaurant that you couldn’t drive to. the cab dropped us off at a beach and we had to walk along the shore for ten minutes until we reached this restaurant with that had no glass on the windows. It was right on the shore, we sat and ate while watching children play as the sun set. By the time we ordered dessert it was dark out, and just as we were marvelling at the evening, across the water a fireworks show began, seemingly for us. true story.

art hath an enemy called ignorance

2011-04-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

sometimes i crave contemporary art, just to keep my mind open and flexible.
saatchi gallery photographed by moi. quote from ben jonson.

a work of art is a unique result of a unique temperament

2011-04-21T20:57:00.000-07:00

i have a pair of chanel ballet flats comme ça that i bought consignment and wore until their last breath. they trecked all over france, no less, and put up quite the fight considering what i put them through.

these, my friends, are the perfect ballet flats. they are cut precisely, the colours elongate the leg, and the leather is soft yet structured. i suppose what im getting at, is its time for a new pair of my own. hmmm.

title - oscar wilde

la beauté du printemps

2011-04-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

a new season calls for new beauty products. i used to be an avid user of dior skin, but recent changes to the products have inspired me to steer in a different direction. first stop is chanel precision exfoliator. its gentle overall with very fine grains and my skin looked brighter after the first day. any favs to share?

2011-04-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

i cant wait to go grey
and i'll sit and wonder
of every love that couldve been
if i'd only thought of something charming to say

tous les choses

2011-04-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

there are a just lot of good things going on here. one thing i will draw attention to though - i believe this is what academic chic is. permanently filed for my future career wardrobe.

l'air, les couleurs et les objets

2011-04-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

there are a plethora of reasons for why i update less frequently than i used to. one is that i spend less time online since i graduated. another is that im not traveling as much (that has to change, i have an addiction). and sometimes i just dont know what to say!

but what i can say, is the reason i keep doing it is to remain involved with the blogs i follow and admire, as well as the support i get from followers. so thanks for keeping me inspired.

the image above is a revisit, i still love it. perfect amount of colour, clutter, and pieces of interest in my opinion.

baudelairean distance

2011-03-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

"it’s always more intriguing to imagine what’s happening, as opposed to seeing everything, because then you can use your imagination. i always wanted to be at a distance."

reminds me of baudelaire, how he wrote that small real life details in art and poetry confuse the overall sensation of the thing. go sofia

fashion geometry

2011-03-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

for some reason im rarely as inspired as i used to be by street fashion photography, but this one does it. partially because her outfit is subtle and black, partially because of the repetition of spheres.... and partially because i wish i too was stading in paris waiting outside of the louis vuitton show... holding the helmet for my vespa

the world is but a canvas to our imagination

2011-03-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

i so badly want to be taking part in this post-miu miu défilé conversation. quote by henry david thoreau

spontaneous monday musings

2011-03-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

you know those days when your outfit is spontaneously perfect and easy? and you say to yourself, ok i should remember this one as a fall back in case i cant think of what to wear one day? where do those looks go, i wonder... we should all take polaroids comme ca to remember and pretend our life is a runway.

also i like how fendi has translated colours into fall. sorry there is no coherent link between those two ideas :S but both photographs are from the fall fendi show via garance.

un privilège de la vie

2011-03-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

i like to think this is what i looked like riding my vélib in paris. but in reality there was probably constant fear on my face.

sometimes new days bring changes and new challenges but thats what keeps things exciting.

title is sarah burton quoted in vogue paris- mais une occassion d'avoir peur, c'est un privilège de la vie.

electric. shock.s.

2011-03-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

fashion needed a bit of an electric shock, no? jil sanders spring feels so on point. strong lines and bright colours, no complications. it seems very far out of our wardrobes comfort zones based on past seasons, but its a fantastically strong look. i started this week with orangy red nails... baby steps!

i am a part of all that i have seen

2011-03-10T07:41:00.000-08:00

more from paris' nuit blanche. also mentioned here. melissa and i watched this structure being built for a week before the event. for a while we thought it was for fashion week, but then realized it was an art installation. this piece synchronized light and sound to create an creative experience for those who walked though it. at the end there was an explosion of light and sound that made it feel like a fuse blew, thats what i got on camera in the second image.

title is a quote from alfred lord tennyson

a first rate soup is better than a second rate painting

2011-03-05T07:26:00.000-08:00

9
good look for a leisurely saturday, no? poetic, chic, and very precise.

title is a quote from abraham maslow via saatchi online. and oh so true for those who love soup and art.

stars

2011-03-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

God that was strange to see you again
Introduced by a friend of a friend
Smiled and said 'yes I think we've met before'
In that instant it started to pour,
Captured a taxi despite all the rain
We drove in silence across Pont Champlain
And all of the time you thought I was sad
I was trying to remember your name

There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave
You were what I wanted
I gave what I gave
I'm not sorry I met you
I'm not sorry it's over
I'm not sorry there's nothing to save

be as wise as you are beautiful

2011-03-01T09:48:00.001-08:00

i've become impatient when people claim they dont care about clothes. they still dress every morning, and if they are going to reject fashion, they still need clothes to show it. style rebellion is still a form of self-expression
— miuccia prada

***

this is why it is important to have designers with phds. image from jak&jil of jason wu's inspiration board. title from the spine of id magazine

so loosen your heart

2011-03-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

J
why cant i think of where this is from? i need a new creative outlet and this is inspiring me.
title from the stars ageless beauty

all kinds of change

2011-02-24T21:01:00.000-08:00

i took this picture in paris in october. thats melissa flipping her hair at the perfect moment.

i want to be there right now. sigh.
title courtesey of karl. i am a fashion person, and fashion is not only about clothes, its about all kinds of change.

flânerie is a practice of solitude

2011-02-21T19:16:00.000-08:00

after school i spent my time laying on my deck in the sun. the sun made me forget the world, my thoughts would clear up. even if i was sad i was happy. a dandelion spore brushed my arm once as i was lying with my eyes closed, and i opened my eyes and lifted my arm from the wrist to the fingers and the dandelion spun around my wrist pretty gracefully and blew away, and the sun shined on it in such an interesting way. it looked like a film and i wish you were there to share that moment with me. because the beauty of the moment struck me and it deserved to be shared with others. but i wonder if i would have noticed it if i wasnt alone.

***

its amazing what we notice when we converse with the world rather than with other people.

solitude and flânerie are completely interdependent. also i go through phases where i reblog pictures from my friends, this kooples ad is yet another courtesy of vero, love it! and stole the quote from a friend's short story.

in search of sunshine

2011-02-19T13:34:00.000-08:00

i start to feel so drab this time of year, i need some sun on my skin, radiance where are youuu?! may be the mediterranean genes in me that doesnt know what to do with no sun. what are your beauty secrets for the winter blues?

i too, have known autumn too long

2011-02-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

rainy (??) day in toronto, it reminds me so much of bc:)
title is from e e cummings. a wind has blown the rain away and blown the sky away and all the leaves away, and the trees stand. I think, I too, have known autumn too long.

actually my title from yesterday is cummings as well, he was my fav poet in high school:P

trust in your heart if the seas catch fire and live by love though the stars walk backward.

though the stars walk backward

2011-02-15T17:07:00.000-08:00

the row via vogue.com

you should check out the row lookbook for fall, its incredible. they really took the clothing to another level. it actually reminds me of tom ford a bit, just because it seems to be all about luxurious living/comfort, rather than particular trends.

in our bedroom after the war

2011-02-11T09:40:00.000-08:00

remember this post, when i was dying for a rolling rack of sorts to help me pack for my trip?
well i think this one from ikea is quite perfect, especially because it is black and so compact! now i just need to make the floor space... image reblogged from ma vie privée. title is a stars song

the musings of a creative mind

2011-02-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

i was watching vivienne westwood's london the other night, and as usual, i was struck by her subconcious linking of good fashion to culture and quality of life. at one point she was looking at a painting of a young boy (i believe in the national portrait gallery), and marvelled at his clothing (sharp black tailoring with fur accents, if i remember correctly?) and says something like 'if only children were allowed to still dress like that, they would have a completely different outlook on life.' such a brilliantly layered thought.

elle marche en noir dans le blanc

2011-02-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

pretty snowy days are amazing. when its bright, not too cold and there's no wind, i'll take it. but i suppose today it has to do with the fact that im working from home, and dont generally drive anymore (driving is a stressful disaster in heavier snow times, isnt it?).

anyway im taking a cue from seaofshoes today and going for a walk in the snow with no real agenda. happy monday xx

time medium and substance

2011-02-06T08:01:00.001-08:00

probably one of the most interesting things i did while in paris was go to nuit blanche. i was alone in the city at that point, so i started early - which ended up being a good idea because the lineups get out of control there, although the quality of art/installations is better than toronto (not much of a shocker).
one of the installations that stuck with me the most was indoors. a few people at a time, you would go into a room that was fairly large, and pitch dark except the dim red digital times coming from a wall of clock radios. at first it could have seemed a bit odd after waiting 45 minutes in line, but i thought it was so fascinating, and actually everyone else seemed to as well (even a little boy who broke the silence, "papa, c'est quoi?").

i liked that every clock radio was different. it was as if the artist stole a bunch from random apartments in paris that night like robin hood, and was holding them to see what would happen in the morning when everyone needs to get up and run the city. this mechanism keeps us in line with each other socially and professionally, is common to almost everyone, and is yet so private because of its placement at our bedside. also i have a neverending fascination with time.

qui est aritzia...?

2011-02-06T07:43:00.000-08:00

the fact of the matter is, aritzia has a cult following for a reason (for me maybe more than one reason due to employment).

this past sunday was the spring 2011 at the carlu in toronto. i was happy to see that the rumours of irina lazareanu walking in the show were true (!!?)

check out beauhemian's photographs of the employee fashions. im in there somewhere. (also browse his other photographs, hes quite good at showing off toronto fashion)

moving with the times

2011-02-01T17:39:00.000-08:00

ok ok im finally on the bandwagon. you can follow me on twitter @laflaneuseblog

this way i can update more frequently with gallery, fashion, and other news. give me some time to get a good rhythm! bisous :)

the purpose of art is brushing the dust of daily life off our souls

2011-01-30T21:11:00.000-08:00

***

yes, please. its like a culture search... sculpture, paintings, books... strategic clutter.

quote by picasso, photograph by todd selby.

wheres philo when you need her..

2011-01-28T20:14:00.000-08:00

i need a good outfit for sunday. simple and strong, for a fashion event of sorts.

au secours (advice is welcome)! i think a statement jacket is a promising idea.. perhaps fur comme ca, obv over an all black ensemble.

twists of the imagination

2011-01-25T11:09:00.000-08:00

alright, ago. you cant call my cell phone when im at work and leave no message. not when ive applied for a bunch of jobs with your organization and now im imagining that i have missed my window. maybe it has to do with my membership, but i always get automated messages for that. maybe i should call back, but there was no extension and so i will be more of an annoyance than anything. "hey uh, someone called me from this number?" nope.

sans toi, les émotions d'aujourd'hui ne seraient que la peau morte des émotions d'autrefois

2011-01-24T20:12:00.000-08:00

i once quoted the movie amelie, c'est l'angoisse du temps qui passe qui nous fait tant parler du temps qu'il fait, it is the anguish of passing time that makes us speak of the weather.. more or less. but in french theres a lovely repetition since temps refers to both time and weather.

anyway. since at work today there was much angloise du temps, can i ask, soo whats with the cold? today i was walking around in fur, mittens, three types of wool, and numb legs. too much!

portraits in motion

2011-01-18T18:08:00.001-08:00

if you are in new york, let me live vicariously through you and please go see andy warhol:motion pictures at the moma. i feel like warhol was so ahead of the game with his screen test portraits, and saw a few on a larger scale when i was in seattle at the exhibit love fear pleasure lust pain glamour death that i mentioned, here.

to me, the screen test portrait captures (one of) the only things that a photographic portrait cant fully convey, which is gesture, and the character one brings to their appearance through an individual style of motion. this is what is so enamouring and hypnotic about the screen tests. as i wrote on june 19, the sense of immediacy you feel looking into the eyes of a young edie sedgwick, for example, is so sharply contrasted by the realization that it is not immediacy you are feeling... its just that you are seeing what the still image cannot capture: life, movement, gesture, as it happens.

guess that makes me an impressionist

2011-01-18T18:05:00.000-08:00

i know ive posted this image before, but i felt it just fit again today. never enough black clothing for this girl.

title is from the sleeve of the white stripes album icky thump. i saw an image of someone I once knew today and it made me write down my first impressions. i dont normally tend to do that. guess that makes me an impressionist

que lisez-vous?

2011-01-18T17:53:00.000-08:00

im open for book recommendations. ive moved from rhinoceros (and other ionesco plays) to the biography of anne boleyn by eric ives that my sister bought me. i have had a very strong interest in boleyn since i first studied the tudors in my undergrad (seriously, sometimes i think i knew her/was her in a past life), and from what i can tell this is the most thorough biography to date. so far, im not finding it as dense as other historical biographies i have read and gives a good sense of a context. ah context. what are you reading?

ps i took this photograph from the fitting room of a boutique in vancouvers gastown (i cant remember the name, or even the street, i was blinded by the amazing clothes and, of course, this wall of books.

the change of decor is of no importance

2011-01-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

the isabel marant woman doesnt sport a full face of makeup, or even brush her hair. she wears heels, but only the kind that can be danced in all night, and when shes at home, she’ll most likely be barefoot. theres an air of insouciance about her wardrobe—her clothes look as if she picked them up on a trip to some exotic, far-flung destination, or pilfered them from her grandfather or maybe her boyfriend. marant herself just happens to be such a woman. her effortless brand owes more to serge gainsbourg, and her regular collaborator, paris vogue fashion director emmanuelle alt, than it does to any fantasy femme or hollywood starlet.
— natalie shukur via nylon mag

***

title - more from ionesco and the theatre of the absurd. the future is in eggs is a play that continues the story from jacques or obedience. ionesco notes that "the change of decor is of no importance"; facades are of no importance.

if you are not too long, i will wait here for you all my life

2011-01-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

on the sunday of a nondescript gallivant, melissa and i happened across this hotel on rue des beaux arts. the first thing that caught my eye was the ram head hanging over the front door and i noted how much i loved it.

then, of course, my eye was drawn to the plaque to the left stating that oscar wilde had died in this hotel, in which he lived for the last bit of his life. as you know, i am quite the wilde admirer so this was quite the accident. as a side, 13 is my favorite number.

i am saving this as a blueprint for the future ram head that will hang over my front door.

who is that?

2011-01-07T09:04:00.001-08:00

***
oh, just the new editor in chief of vogue paris. no big deal.

i look forward to seeing how emanuelle progresses the magazine into a new era. congrats ms alt!

***

the nonstop dialogue

2011-01-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

i travel not to go anywhere, but to go. i travel for travel's sake. the great affair is the move.

paish recently made me the most amazingly creative travel journal for christmas that contained my souvenirs (tickets, cards, chanel ribbons) and quotes about travelling, including this one (thats a whole other topic, because really, its already one of my most treasured objects).

toronto still feels new to me, im not taking any trips anytime soon, but i think the affair of the move can be applied to life as well. meaning im going to get back into old habits of doing new things every week and taking photographs.

image from jak&jil, title from karl lagerfeld, fashion keeps me designing: the love of change, the idea that the next one will be the right one, the nonstop dialogue.

is that a....?

2011-01-04T07:10:00.000-08:00

an hermès rhinoceros made of ostrich skin. i saw this at the musée des arts décoratifs in paris and spent some time with it.

the intersection of decorative arts, fashion, culture, collecting, and luxury is so unique in this object. i may have also been more fascinated because of the curating: this was in the animal-themed section with other furs, feathers, and skins, rather than functional focus (furniture, clothing, vases, etc).

the museum did a great job of conveying that art surrounds us in many forms and functions, and that culture and ideas are the common thread that run through everything.

btw, that is an ostrich skin margiela coat to the right of it, with a matching helmet. possibly from the 60s... i cant remember.

au revoir 2010

2010-12-31T16:06:00.000-08:00

its been quite the year, happy new year everyone! heres to another year of art, fashion, life, adventures, and flanerie. thanks for all those who gave me such fond memories and kind words this year, in canada and abroad, in real life and through the powers of email and blogging. xx

relaying the message

2010-12-30T19:26:00.000-08:00

minimalism is not a style, it is an attitude, a way of being. its a fundamental reaction against noise, visual noise, disorder, vulgarity. minimalism is the pursuit of the essence of things, not the appearance -massimo vingelli

what a fantastic quote found by dead fleurette to describe the correlation between minimalism and intellect, substance and visibility. its something that i think of often and fail to articulate in words or thought. i also reblogged this picture from her, because really, how could i not reblog this picture from her. vero did it too!

the weapons of patience and culture

2010-12-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

the thing with europe, is that you can stumble on incredible things in the most unassuming places. take this experience, for example. melissa and i were walking home one day (i wish i remembered the street, in and around le marais), and we looked into a courtyard (first image)from the street and caught a glimpse of some art. so we walked across the courtyard and into this large room filled with contemporary art from various artists and media.

it was a really creative space and nice end to the day.

and see the thing that makes this situation better, is that on the way out, melissa sees a door in the courtyard that says alaia.. literally typed and printed from microsoft word. i actually caught the moment that she saw it in the first image. we of course went in, and found that it was a room the size of a bedroom filled with alaia shoes and clothes from past seasons. yes, they were discounted. yes, they were still out of my price range. yes, it was amazing anyway.

***

title from rhinoceros. jean advises berenger to woo daisy with intelligence, with "the weapons of patience and culture, the weapons of the mind"

a rhinoceros!

2010-12-25T16:52:00.000-08:00

merry christmas, friends! i have been meaning to update forever, but am lacking in inspiration. perhaps it is the consumerism of the holidays, or perhaps it is because i have been working more than i have been living. either way, i need to actively seek out something new... i thought perhaps a red sweater or a new book would be a good start.

***

im not one to wear red, but im quite fond of this isabel marant one. and i have not before read anything from the theatre of the absurd, but i have started reading rhinoceros by ionesco and i highly, highly recommend it. i wouldnt even know where to begin with how amazing it is. the structure of the dialogue and the repetition of simple phrases are a quirky approach to this play about a french provincial town whose inhabitants turn into rhinoceroses (read: conformity of consumerism?)

just in case

2010-12-21T22:13:00.000-08:00

the gentlewoman is a new biannual style magazine for a new decade. featuring inspirational, international women, it pairs ambitious journalism with a sartorial and intelligent perspective on fashion that is focused on personal style.

i quite like it. although paris vogue informs about art, music, culture, and of course, fashion, the gentlewoman plays up the intelligent, renaissance woman of the present day. ps i'll try to disappear less!

the end of an era

2010-12-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

... so speaking of melancholy and fashion and vogue and voguettes, carine roitfeld resigned from her position as editor in chief of vogue paris after ten years.

its a little scary when you get a phonecall from a friend at 10am in the age of texting and bbm, and the first thing she says is "hey mag, are you sitting down?" mon dieu! but not the least bit over-dramatic for mosha and i.

march will be carine's last issue and im sure she will go out with a bang. her creativity and vision with vogue paris has been enamouring me and my imagination since i bought my first issue in france, and i only hope the magazine will continue to develop in an equally unique and relevant direction.

where to next, carine? tom ford?

mélancolie de la mode

2010-12-12T15:31:00.000-08:00

um yeah so... thats it, isnt it. all paris vogue, all black, all on point.

julian schnabel and an age of information

2010-12-08T18:05:00.000-08:00

steph is visiting from london so we visited the art gallery of ontario today to see the julian schnabel exhibit which was concise and so interesting both visually and intellectually. i transcribed this quote from one of the didactics because its fantastic.

we are living in an age of information, enlisting all values and non-values under its banner so indiscriminantly that it has already supplied our children's overflowing cornucopia of miseries with a new category called a.d.d.; signifying attention deficit disorder. have you seen the great new jackson pollock retrospective at the museum of modern art? no, i saw it on television... (pause) must we learn again the simple, forthright experience of actually seeing a painting?

- william gaddis, 1998

fumbling towards ecstacy

2010-12-06T22:30:00.000-08:00

hair twins. with each other and with me.

fall has made way for winter, but i love the way their clothing and styling echoes the casual warmth of fall.

theres something wonderfully mysterious about absence

2010-12-03T21:06:00.001-08:00

"as artists, we need to not know what we're doing, otherwise we're always living in the rational world..

we have to dare to go further" - anish kapoor.

kapoor, who often plays with negative space in his art (hence the title, another quote from the artist), is having his first exhibit in india, full article here via ma vie privée

since one year

2010-12-02T21:27:00.000-08:00

(

street style throw back. serina (chic du chic) snapped this picture of mosha's ensemble on our way out of crêpes à gogo (best crêpes in toronto, ps) last winter.

the combo of the military-esque jacket with fur detailing, the nightingale (such an editors bag) and those ever versatile balenciaga boots was perfect for sunday brunch.

title - do you ever notice how, when french people want to say its been one year or for one year, they tend to say since one year? i find translation snags so interesting.

an emanation of the spiritual mirrors, and will always mirror, the spiritual reality from which it derives

2010-12-01T20:52:00.000-08:00

nothing like a good bookshelf with a ladder in a bright space with high muraled ceilings framed by moldings. reblogged from grey. title from baudelaire's discussion of 19th century costume in the painter of modern life.

all the different names for the same thing

2010-11-30T06:16:00.000-08:00

i just want to be this girl right now. i want to snap my fingers and be in europe, if even just for a day.

instead i will take in this photograph, in the same way the subject is taking in the view, and in the same way garance was taking in her view as the photographer.

as mentioned image by garance, title from death cab

magdalyn, what do you want for christmas?

2010-11-28T17:50:00.000-08:00

***

the honest answer is that i so badly want an olympia le tan book clutch, but its oh so pricey! i mean, at that point arent i just buying a flight to europe? but i looooovvvee itttttt!

image jak&jil

writing is the certainty that you have no audience

2010-11-28T17:25:00.000-08:00

sometimes there is nothing better than feeling at home in a city. after being away from toronto so much in the last 2.5 years, the familiarity of the city experience is fascinating me.

i took the subway downtown early this morning and went to the raptors/hawks game this afternoon (courtside!). it was perfectly cold and i wore fur.

title today is a quote from joan juliet buck as quoted in the gentlewoman magazine (i might talk about this mag more soon). i thought it was quite interesting - i realized that i get the most positive feedback on posts that are more personal because im not thinking that anyone is reading. this is why bloggers like garance are so successful and charming. photograph was taken by my friend esther from a porter plane.

taking my hat from the chandelier, i followed

2010-11-25T17:08:00.000-08:00

i sometimes have moments when it becomes very clear to me that i am a grownup. like when i spend an evening with good friends chez mosha having wine, cheese, and crackers- an evening that ends

at 11pm because we all have to be up early.

i had to include the photograph of moshas fantastic shoe collection. all photographs via chic du chic, title quoted from the great gatsby

down time downtown

2010-11-22T15:53:00.000-08:00

whenever i have a weekday off i go downtown and try to change up the areas i see. sometimes i have to push myself to do it, but i never regret it. i thought this image from garance looked like such a day off gallivanting outfit, and of course shes wearing my favorite repettos with the short square heel. any day off habits/clothing choices to share?

c'est l'angoisse du temps qui passe qui nous fait tant parler du temps qu'il fait

2010-11-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

in honour of first snowfalls on lazy sundays, i thought i would post this creation entitled le lit, designed by linda topic. she collaborated with artist antonin bachet on this piece for descamps 150 year anniversary design competition. see more here.

via ilovebelgium and marnie! title from le fabuleux destin d'amélie poulain

a moveable feast

2010-11-19T18:07:00.000-08:00

although i have referred to it many times, this time im not talking about hemingway. aritzia just launched a new line that was named a moveable feast because the designer was inspired by the writers memoirs. with a palette of mainly black, this line is the most avant garde (and yes, french in aesthetic) of the companys brands.

i was happy to see that the line was reflective of its name, for both the name and the aesthetic speak to a niche audience. (it seems that there has been some negative feedback re: the name. to which i say 1: arent we being a bit dramatic? fashion is constantly fighting the stereotype that it isnt intelligent, and when a brand references a great writer we still condemn it? hmm.. and 2: time to read a book. hemingway is a lovely place to start)

i wish i was that bird and i could just fly away

2010-11-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

proenza schouler presents act da fool by harmony korine. you need to watch this

participatory art / identity

2010-11-17T06:59:00.000-08:00

what is it about leaving our marks on things that is so exciting? when i was in europe i did this twice. once was in a restaurant bathroom in montmartre - there was writing, photographs, papers, all over the walls of this pseudo-underground place with live piano music - where i wrote my initials and the year, MPA 2010.

the photograph above is from my visit to the stedelijk museum in amsterdam. this was an entire white room with the first names and dates of visitors written in permanent marker. the reason they are crowded together horizonatally is because the museum attendants would write your information at your height. im somewhere in the top left. going back to my saatchi musings, perhaps participatory art is another way we can bring people to art, since being included feels like being accepted.. hmm..